Druid 101

Druids are a great late-game class and are part of the "Priest Group" of classes. They are commonly called "kiters," meaning they can lead multiple monsters around while killing them with their spells. And since they are a part of the Priest Group, they also get buff, cures, and uber healing (although clerics are still better healers). Don't expect to have much in the way of healing ability at lower levels.

At level 1 you start out with Skin Like Wood and Minor Healing as your two beginner spells. Now, if you have money to spare from other characters, get 5 platinum and go buy your other level 1 spells such as: Burst of Flame, Dance of the Fireflies, Endure Fire, Flame Lick, and Snare. Though it is possible to start kiting with snare at level 1, the mana drain will be a significant problem. If you have items to give your character mana and wisdom then you're in luck with kiting at level 1. Druids can be Humans, Wood Elves, Halflings, and Half Elves. When picking a race, you must decide if you're going to be a fighter or caster. If you want to fight, then pick Half Elf. If you want to cast, pick Halfling. For adding stats, add +25 to wisdom and +5 agility. Religion isn't much of a problem, but a lot of people choose Tunare. If you choose Halfling, then you'll be starting off in the city of Rivervale. It's a small zone but filled with merchants. Human Druids start out in Surefall Glade, home of the Half Elves. Half Elf Druids also start out in Surefall Glade. Wood Elves start in Greater Faydark.

Now let's discuss acquiring items and experience. Halflings will be fighting in the zone Misty Thicket which is a good place to stay until level 10. From levels 1-5, it's best to fight in front of Rivervale. When you reach level 5, you don't get anything special except spells. If you have the money you should buy these spells: Burst of Flame, Camouflage, Cure Disease, Cure Poison, Gate, Grasping Roots, Harmony, Invoke Lightning, and Whirling Wing. From levels 5-10, fight goblins near the front of Runnyeye. When you reach level 9 go buy these spells: Endure Cold, Enduring Breath, Firefist, Ignite, Light Healing (Yay! An upgrade!), Shield of Thistles, Strength of Earth, Protection of Wood (a group Skin like Wood spell), and Starshine. Then head back to the goblins till level 10. You don't get any special armor or weapons of any sort, so don't get your hopes up. However, at level 10, there is a quest you can get from your druid Druid Master if you'd like some special armor. Go speak to him and then ask him about your special armor. You can find more information about this here: https://everquest.allakhazam.com/qgen/Rivervale.html.

Should you start out as any other race then it's best to fight in the city of Qeynos. Humans and Half Elves won't have any problem getting there, beginning the game only 2 zones away. Wood Elves, well, they start out a bit too far. Don't worry about spells because you can find them in Surefall Glade. From levels 1-5, it's good to fight in North Qeynos. And then from 5-8, you should go fight mobs in Qeynos Hills. For Humans and Half Elves your Druid Master also has the special armor quests. Find out how here: https://everquest.allakhazam.com/qgen/SurefallGlades.html

From levels 10-15, a good place to fight is Blackburrow. There are Gnoll Pups (wimpy), Scrawny Gnolls (7-10), Gnolls (8-12), Gnoll Guardsmen (10-15), Giant Snakes (7-11), and Elite Gnoll Guards (11-16). In my opinion, if you're level 10, you should stick to Gnoll Guardsmen and Elite Gnoll Guards. The best drops will be Gnoll Fangs (https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/quest.html?quest=543). When you reach level 14, you should go buy these spells: Befriend Animal, Bind Affinity, Cascade of Hail (be careful when using it), Expulse Summoned, Invigor, Levitate ,See Invisible, Skin Like Rock, Spirit of Wolf, Stinging Swarm (best when kiting), Summon Food, and Summon Drink. Of these, the best are Spirit of Wolf, Stinging Swarm, and Bind Affinity.

From levels 15-20 another good place to fight is Highpass Hold. You can fight Orcs, Gnolls (Yay!), and some evil guys. Before you do anything, go bind in front of the bank in Highkeep. After doing so, go back out to Highpass and fight. Directly in front of Highkeep are 3 bandits (evil guys). To the right of Highkeep you'll find the Gnolls, while heading straight and then to the left will take you to the Orcs. Level 19 is a fun level. You need to buy these spells: Ring of Butcher, Ring of Commons, Ring of Karana, Ring of Toxxulia, Ring of Surefall Glade, Ring of Grimling, and Ring of Nexus. These are your self-teleportation spells. You'll get more of these at later levels. Now for the rest of your spells: Barbcoat, Calm Animal ,Cancel Magic, Careless Lightning, Dizzying Wind, Healing (yet another healing upgrade), Shield of Barbs, Superior Camoflouge, Terrorize Animal, Endure Disease, and Endure Poison.

From 20-37, you should level at Highkeep. You can fight goblins here. There are four different rooms in which to fight: Guard Room, Lookout Room, Warrior Room, and Raider Room. For a char from levels 20-27, it's best to fight in the Guard Room and Lookout Room. Unfortunately, you won't find many good drops here, mostly steel and bronze weapons with no special attributes, along with left goblin ears (https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/quest.html?quest=434).

Level 24 is another great level. When you get a chance go buy these spells: Charm Animal, Creeping Crud (an upgrade to Stinging Swarm), Dismiss Summoned, Ensnaring Roots, Pogonip (careful when using), Resist Fire, Ring of Feerrott, Ring of Lavastorm, Ring of Ro, Ring of Steamfront, Ring of Stonebrunt, Ring of Combines, Ring of Twilight, Skin Like Steel, Tremor (careful when using), and Wolf Form (an *awesome* spell). Once you reach levels 27-33, it's best to fight in the Warrior Room. At level 29, it's once again time to get your spells: Bramblecoat, Circle of Butcher, Circle of Commons, Circle of Grimling, Circle of Karana, Circle of Stonebrunt, Circle of Surefall Glade, Circle of Nexus, Circle of Toxxulia, Combust ,Counteract Disease (upgrade to cure disease),Counteract Poison (upgrade to Cure Poison), Ensnare (upgrade to Snare),Extinguish Fatigue (upgrade of Invigor),Greater Healing (SWEET), Immolate, Protection of Steel (a group Skin like Steel), Ring of Dawnshroud, Ring of Knowledge, Ring of Misty, and Shield of Bramble.(Circle spells are the group equivalent of your Ring spells.) For levels 33-37, you should move on to the Raider Room. At level 34 you get another big batch of spells: Circle of Feerrott, Circle of Iceclad, Circle of Lavastorm, Circle of Ro, Circle of Steamfont, Circle of Combines, Circle of Twilight, Drones of Doom (upgrade to Creeping Crud), Earthquake, Endure Magic, Expel Summoned, Fury of Air, Greater Wolf Form (upgrade to Wolf Form), Regeneration (awesome to have), Resist Cold, Ring of Great Divide (can't teleport to unless you have fang), Ring of Iceclad, and Strength of Stone.

After you hit level 37 until around level 47, the Rathe Mountains are a good option for leveling by fighting Giants and Cyclopes. You can solo these, or you can fight in a group--your choice. They drop huge amounts of cash. The most you'll get is around 45 platinum, 65 gold, 85 silver, and 20 copper, based on what's been observed so far. Steel weapons are the main drop you'll encounter, but you won't see any with special attributes. At level 39 your next set of spells: Avalanche (be careful when using), Circle of Dawnshroud, Circle of Great Divide, Circle of Knowledge, Circle of Misty, Enveloping Roots, Pack Regneration (Group Regeneration), Protection of Diamond (a group Skin like Diamond), Remove Curse, Ring of Colbalt Scar (you can't teleport unless you have fang), Ring of Wakening Lands, Ro's Fiery Sundering, Share Wolf Form(Group Wolf Form), Shield of Spikes, Skin Like Diamond, and Spikecoat. At level 44, you should buy these spells: Allure of the Wild, Banish Summoned, Calefaction, Chloroplast (upgrade to Regeneration), Circle of Cobalt Scar, Circle of Wakening Lands, Drifting Death (upgrade to Creeping Crud), Fixation of Ro, Form of the Great Wolf (upgrade to Greater Wolf Form), Healing Water (self heal), Nullify Magic, Resist Disease, Resist Poison, and Stormstrength.

From levels 47-55, it's best to fight Wyverns in Cobalt Scar. There is one of the best times to do some kiting. Rare and Common Stones drop here for Thurgadain quest armor. Buff yourself with Spirit of the Wolf, Stormstrength, Skin like Diamond, Shield of Spikes, and Spikecoat. You can use the spell Ensnare to pull four at a time and use Drifting Death on each one. But be careful when kiting. It can be very dangerous. At level 49, you get some more spells: Engulfing Roots, Fire, Ice, Lightning Blast, Pack Chloroplast (group Chloroplast), Protection of Nature (a group Skin like Nature), Resist Magic, Share of the Great Wolf Form (allowing you to share Wolf Form with your group), Shield of Thorns, Skin like Nature, Starfire, and Thorncoat.

At level 50, you get Improved Superior Camoflouge. At level 51 you get Circle of Winter (Fire resist), Everlasting Breath (upgrade to Enduring Breath), Legacy of Spike, Repulse Animal, Superior Healing (SWEET),and Upheavel. At level 52, you get Breath of Ro, Call of Kaana, Circle of Summer (Cold Resist), Foliage Shield (group invisibility), and Pure Blood (cures disease and poison). At level 53 you get Winged Death (upgrade to Driftng Death). At level 54, you get Blizzard (be careful when using), Form of the Howler (upgrade to Form of the Great Wolf), Regrowth (upgrade to Chloroplast), Remove Greater Curse, Scoriae, and Spirit of Eagle. At level 55 you get Annul Magic, Chloroblast (an upgrade to Superior Healing), Exile Summoned, Girdle of Karana (Strength), Nature Walkers Behest (your pet),and Tunare's Request.

Once you reach level 55, you need to work on getting your epic weapon, one of the best items you'll ever get when playing a character. Find out how to do so at this website: https://eq.crgaming.com/epics/druid.asp